CVE-2021-38489
Received Received - Intake

HDD Password Stored in UEFI Variable

Publication date: 2026-09-03

Last updated on: 2026-09-03

Assigner: Insyde

Description
HDD password plaintext is stored in a UEFI variable.

CVSS Scores

EPSS Scores

Probability:
Percentile:

Meta Information

Published
2026-09-03
Last Modified
2026-09-03
Generated
2026-09-03
AI Q&A
2026-09-03
EPSS Evaluated
N/A
NVD
CVE-2021-38489
EUVD
EUVD-2021-34870

Affected Vendors & Products

Showing 5 associated CPEs
Vendor Product Version / Range
insyde insydeh2o to 05.17.03 (inc)
insyde insydeh2o to 05.27.03 (inc)
insyde insydeh2o to 05.36.03 (inc)
insyde insydeh2o to 05.43.51 (inc)
insyde insydeh2o to 05.51.51 (inc)

Helpful Resources

Exploitability

CWE
CWE Icon
KEV
KEV Icon
CWE ID Description
CWE-256 The product stores a password in plaintext within resources such as memory or files.

Attack-Flow Graph

AI Quick Actions

Instant insights powered by AI
Executive Summary

This vulnerability involves the HDD password being stored in plaintext within a UEFI variable in InsydeH2O firmware. The HddPasswordPei driver is affected, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data.

Impact Analysis

An attacker with access could retrieve the plaintext HDD password, leading to unauthorized access to stored data, potential data theft, or system compromise. This impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system.

Compliance Impact

This vulnerability could lead to non-compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR or HIPAA due to unauthorized data access. Organizations may face legal penalties, reputational damage, and loss of trust.

Mitigation Strategies

Update InsydeH2O firmware to one of the fixed versions: 05.17.03 (Kernel 5.1), 05.27.03 (Kernel 5.2), 05.36.03 (Kernel 5.3), 05.43.51 (Kernel 5.4), or 05.51.51 (Kernel 5.5).

Check the HddPasswordPei driver for plaintext storage of HDD passwords and replace it if necessary.

Chat Assistant

Ask questions about this CVE
Hi! I’m here to help you understand CVE-2021-38489. Ask me anything about the vulnerability, its impact, or mitigation strategies.
0/70

EPSS Chart